Choose a classmate, friend, or family member to work with as your partner. you’ll practice having a conversation in which a friend (played by your partner) will try to persuade you to drink alcohol in a situation that you’re not comfortable with. you’ll practice assertive refusal. also pay attention to body language during your conversation. try to be assertive both verbally and with your body language.

scenario:

imagine you’re on a camping trip with a group of friends. one friend (played by your partner) pulls a bottle of liquor out of a backpack and starts to pass it. your entire group of friends drinks from the bottle before passing it to you.

begin your dialogue with your friend by assertively refusing the drink. you may explain your refusal in any way that makes the most sense to you. your friend should then respond by trying to persuade you. continue this role-playing until each of you has had a few opportunities to speak.

describe the conversation you had with your friend. in what ways were you assertive in your refusal? describe your body language. what methods of persuasion did your friend use? were they difficult to resist? why or why not? if you found yourself in a similar situation, would you be able to practice assertive refusal? explain.